


Visions of Glory

by Alliance (Xazz)



Series: Cypress Hall [28]
Category: Flight Rising
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:44:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14976476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xazz/pseuds/Alliance





	Visions of Glory

[Layali](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=35135530) opened her eyes slowly. [Lianna](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=35564542) was hovering over her nervously, her antenna twitching. “Hey, are you okay?” Lianna asked.

“I–

The memory of her vision hit Layali with all the speed and weight of a flying Guardian. She sat up and scrambled to her feet. “Layali!” Lianna called after her as she jumped down the stairs to the main room of the tree. Rahab found her and curled around her neck and tangled in her hair, he was shivering and whispering in her ear but she could hardly hear him. “Layali, what is it?” Lianna called after her with growing urgency even as Layali crawled out her hollow in the tree. Her short claws on her hand were long enough to let her drag her small form up the side of the tree to where the branches started.

The wind was back and Layali looked around breathlessly as the wind tore at her hair and tunic. She looked out south-west to the smudge of darkness that was the Hewn City out beyond the near endless Field of Reeds that swayed in the whipping wind that came off the divide where the cliffs of the Ruins met the Sea. “Not a dream,” [Rahab](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=35135531) whispered into her ear. “Not a dream,” it came out like a sob.

Layali looked around frantically. It wouldn’t come from the east. She knew that. It would come from the Field of Reeds. “Layali,” Lianna called up to her worriedly from her perch on the deck down below. “Come down from there.”

“I don’t see it,” Layali whispered frantically. “Rahab, I don’t see it.” He just made a whining noise in her ear and twined further into her hair, his long tail curling under her arm, his wings turning her silky black hair into a knot.

“Layali,” Lianna’s voice was closer now and she looked over. Lianna was hovering in the air next to her. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong? What did you see?” The wind tugged at her robes and ruffled her mane.

“Death,” Layali said. “Suffering. Move, I can’t see the horizon,” Layali said and waved her hand down at Lianna.

“Layali if you stay out here you’ll likely get a seizure again.”

“I don’t care!” Layali snapped. “You’re blocking my sight.”

Lianna’s antenna twitched and with a frown and a beat of her wings, she landed on a branch next to Layali’s. “What are you looking for?” she asked gently.

“You will know when you see it,” Layali said, still scanning the horizon out towards the Hewn City across the Field of Reeds.

“There,” Rahab whispered.

“What? Where?” she whipped her head around to see where Rahab was pointing one long webbed claw out in the distance.

It was a lumbering shadow out of a nightmare. Too far to make out real shapes but it’s size let it be seen even at a distance in the midday haze of rising steam off of the swamp. She could make out the shape of three heads and a bloated, grotesquely twisted body that was larger than any one dragon and was the combined mass of three giving it gargantuan size.

Rahab was shaking so hard she thought he would fall apart. Layali’s Wind green eyes were wide and her mouth fell open a little. There it was. Further away than in her vision. Good. There was still time.

She fanned her wings out. “Layali what-

Too slow. Layali fell off the tree, her butterfly patterned wings catching her and she soared out away from the great cypress tree. “Johanna!” she cried as her wings pumped hard to get her moving. She hadn’t flown in so long her wings ached quickly. “Johanna!!” She flew over the Windy Isle and past the Tangle to the island the Barracks was located, calling for Johanna the entire time. The old woman was outside looking flustered as she landed.

“Layali, what are you doing out here? It’s dangerous for you,” [Johanna](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=172145) said, gently touching her head, her worn face a mask of worry.

“Emperor,” Layali gasped, fairly out of breath from her flight. “Johanna an Emperor.”

Johanna’s eyes widened but she didn’t look afraid. “I’m sorry, a what?” she asked, hands on Layali’s shoulders.

“Out in the Field of Reeds,” she pointed west, “An Emperor. I Saw it. It was closer when I Saw it. It’s further out now. Everyone needs to get safe,” she said frantically, practically jumping up and down to get the old paladin to do something.

“Go back to the cypress tree, I will get the Hall in safe order quickly,” Johanna said.

“Johanna-

“Go back to Lianna,” she said firmly. “Once the Hall is safe I will join you. Now go,” she practically pushed Layali back up into the air and Layali spread her tired wings. She stayed looking down at Johanna for a few moments but Johanna went back into the barracks and she heard her yelling for Doubt and Wolf.

Layali flew slowly back across the swamp to the huge cypress tree. Lianna met her halfway and without asking picked her right up out of the air into her soft front legs. Layali’s wings appreciated not having to carry her anymore. “What is that thing?” Lianna asked as she took Layali back to the tree. She gently deposited Layali on the deck before landing lightly beside her.

“An Emperor, a monstrosity of the Lightweaver.” She stood there, looking towards the Field of Reeds in the west but it was blocked by the swamp’s thick canopy, and then gave a weak little cough.

“Oh- inside, inside,” Lianna shepherded her inside quickly. Layali coughed harder and just inside the opening she leaned over and coughed up a bit of blood. “You shouldn’t have left the tree,” Lianna scolded her gently and picked her up again. Layali felt so weak all at once.

“I know,” she moaned miserably. “I just had to… had to tell my mama,” she coughed some more and Lianna put her on her bed. Lianna frowned nervously and went and got a bucket. Layali coughed a few more times and only a little more blood came up. Lianna gave her some cool water and she shivered.

“Careful,” Rahab whispered to her and rubbed his head against her cheek. She patted his head and collapsed onto the mattress filled with cattail fluff. Lianna curled up around her, snuggling her. Above her, in the air, a soft light appeared and started to gently pulse in different colors.

“Pretty,” Layali said, looking at the light.

“Yes. Just rest, you’re fine now. Johanna will make sure we’re safe,” Lianna said and gently stroked her hair.

Layali nodded and coughed a little again miserably. She hated this. She wished she wasn’t so fragile and needed such coddling. She wished she could be as strong and capable as Johanna, or Lianna. Mainly she just wished she didn’t get sick just leaving the confines of the cypress tree. She was a miserable wretch really. She curled up against Lianna’s soft, fluffy, belly and watched the lights she made overhead. She coughed weakly but no more blood came up. She didn’t sleep but she did doze a bit which was fine. Lianna pet her hair as she laid there and Rahab was perched on her chest nervously like a cat, his frills pressed back, his head against the hollow of her collarbone.

—

[Elspeth](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=35116256) landed practically in a heap in front of Aya’s hut and knocked on the door furiously. She tried to see over the trees but it was impossible. [Aya](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=36805279) answered the door after a moment, her hair a bit bedraggled and in the dim light of the house behind her, she could see a curious, shirtless, [Gemini](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=332919&did=37018997) looking towards the door. “Elspeth, what can I do for you?” she asked.

“Johanna says everyone needs to go to the Warren, now,” she said quickly.

“What? Why?” Aya grimaced at the thought.

“We’re in great danger. And Gemini,” she called back to him, “Put your armor on, Johanna needs you; now.”

“Uhg,” Gemini huffed and pulled his head back into the room.

“Elspeth, what’s the matter? What danger is there?”

“My mother didn’t tell me. She just said that we were in great danger. Something is coming from the Field of Reeds,” Elspeth said. “Now, please. You’ll come? I have to tell the others still,” she said as her frills waggled nervously.

“Yes yes, I’ll be there. Should I bring things?”

“Only things you can’t replace,” Elspeth said.

“Alright. Well, off with you,” she waved Elspeth away and the little paladin-to-be took off into the air and winged a few hundred feet away to land in another heap at Jessabelle’s shop. She frantically knocked and waited for Jessabelle to answer.

—

As [Spayar](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=36112116) watched Johanna leave he felt a deep twist in his gut. He just stood there, petrified, unsure of even what to do. [Tassa](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=332919&did=37712847) came over to him and nudged his shoulder with her own, “Hey. What did Johanna want?” she asked.

He looked at her, “I need you to help me get everyone together. They need to get some of their things. We’re leaving.”

“What?” she asked, confused.

“We’re going to be attacked,” that was all Johanna would tell him but he could see the stress in her eyes.

“What? Why?” she asked.

“No. Nothing to do with that. Please, just help me get everyone together,” he said and pushed her along.

“Alright,” she said slowly.

“Johanna said she’d explain when she could.”

“Where are we going?” Tassa asked.

“The Warren.”

“Are you kidding me?” Tassa asked.

“It’s the only place underground in the entire Hall. We’ll be safer there. Now stop arguing. We need to get the other together and see what we can do about our nurseries.”

“Alright,” she said like it pained her. “I’ll get Moon,” and she strode off.

Spayar went and found [Von](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=36360273) with [Tyger](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=37634688) where he was showing her the geometry of a flower. They looked up when he approached. “Spayar, hey– why do you look like that?” Von said.

“We’re going to be attacked. We need to get our things together and group up by the conservatory.”

“What-

“Attacked?” Tyger said nervously and grabbed Von’s arm.

“Yes,” Spayar said with grim seriousness.

“Are– by who?”

“Please, not now. Just get what is valuable to you together. It’ll be explained,” he promised.

Von looked at Tyger, “Go on,” he said and encouraged the young girl to leave. Von stood up and went over to Spayar. “You okay?” Von asked him and touched his arm,

“I just want us to be safe,” he said. “Don’t take too long, okay? I have to go collect Nadalin still.”

“I’ll pack a bag for you too,” Von promised and gave him a soft kiss that went a long way to reassure him. “I’ll meet you outside of the conservatory.” Spayar nodded and Von gave his arm a light squeeze and he went off. Spayar watched him go his chest a bundle of nerves that he tried to shake out and then headed to the edge of the Tangle to cross over to the Windy Isle and go get Nadalin as he’d promised Johanna.

—

The twins peered around the corner at hearing the argument from the mouth of the Warren. It was Oryx and Savathün having very harsh words with someone[Astra](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=332919&did=38320673) couldn’t quite make out because of the light. She looked over at [Aten](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=332919&tab=dragon&did=38320671) and raised her brows at him. Should they get closer? He gave her a cunning grin with a slight nod.

Astra going first because she was smaller they slipped around the corner and crept up towards the entrance. Aten kept a hand on her waist as if steadying themselves could quiet their steps. Not that it mattered. The arguing going on drowned out the sound of their footsteps.

Now that they were closer Astra could see better against the outside light. She could see Johanna! And behind her were the rest of her guard standing in full armor and weapons looking tough. It took her a moment to understand what she was hearing. “I don’t care what you think that mad little girl saw, Johanna, you aren’t commandeering our home.”

“You only live here because I allow it,” Johanna said as fact. “I don’t know what goes on in this rabbit warren and I don’t ask. But you are members of the Hall and this affects the entire Hall, including you. If you don’t willingly open the Warren to us I will force the matter.”

“You are too good,” Oryx said.

Johanna’s eyes narrowed, “You don’t know me,” she said and Astra shivered. Aten squeezed her shoulder. He felt the same. What had Johanna seen in her years? What had she done? “Now stand aside or be judged,” she said and Astra could imagine her posture but Oryx’s wings had since opened a bit in a threatening displace. “Or I just say for the sake of the Hall you should be finished and kill you now. Your choice.” Oryx and Savathün snarled at her but she was unwavering. Astra felt a bit of delight in her chest. She was glad Johanna was in charge and despite what was happening to her personally that Johanna could always be counted on.

Oryx and Savathün turned away from Johanna and her guards to convene and decide what they were going to do. They talked in angry whispers behind Oryx’s wings for a few minutes before they turned back around to Johanna. “Fine,” Oryx said.

“I’m glad we could come to an accord,” Johanna said. “Try to get the filth I know you keep in there under wraps,” Astra could hear the sneer in her voice. “The Hall will be here shortly, don’t keep your clan waiting.”

Savathün snarled at her a little and turned around. The twins pressed back but Astra’s mistress saw them as she stalked down the corridor. “You two, stay out of the way,” she bit at them and Aten tried to shield Astra a bit from Savathün’s bile. When they didn’t move she spat out a, “Get!”

Astra pushed Aten back and away and they scrambled over each other deeper into the Warren. Astra’s room was closer to the entrance and they darted inside. They didn’t close the door entirely and they both stuck their heads out curiously. They heard things being moved around and Savathün snarling at Oryx over something but not exactly what. Then a figure was literally shoved around the corner. It was Azazel. He seemed a bit miffed by the entire situation and said something to someone they couldn’t see. He rolled his blue and yellow eyes and walked down the corridor. Astra knew there was an empty room down there at the end past her and Aten’s rooms.

As Azazel walked passed he slowed seeing them being nosy. Aten growled at him and pulled Astra a bit into her room. Azazel just sort of smirked at Aten, almost a sneer. She glared at Azazel with all the hatred she had for him. “Don’t fear, I didn’t forget about you,” he said.

“Go die,” Astra growled.

“Ah, that’d be something,” he said with amusement and walked on. He passed Aten’s room and went into the one spare one down at the end of the hall.

“Astra, that kinda hurts,” Aten said. Astra was gripping his arm so hard her nails had drawn blood.

“Oh, sorry,” she said and released him. As she did other voices drifted over to them. Her eyes widened. It was the Hall!

“Woah,” Aten said as they filed down the tunnel theirs was connected to.

Astra felt a strange longing in her chest. She’d never seen some of the members of the Hall. Like the bogsneak carefully guiding a pearlcatcher that seemed to be literally on fire. Or a strange humi shaped skydancer draped in red with shimmering blue wings carrying her hatchling against her chest. Or a teenager with mottled skin even in humi form who held a handsome blue and white-winged man’s hand. She stared at them. She’d never met them. She’d never known them. She and Aten lived in this twisted nightmare of a warren out of the light of the sun. Sometimes she forgot what the sky looked like or what grass felt like under her feet.

The procession wasn’t that long and finally the last trickled in. At the rear was a wicked looking man in black and green with a frightening black wooden mask she didn’t know and a war forged wildclaw she recognized by reputation alone because of Aten and Abbadon’s complaining as Doubt. They stopped briefly just next to their hallway and exchanged words. Doubt seemed to sense being watched because he turned his burning yellow-orange eyes on the two of them. Astra couldn’t help it, she ducked back and away behind Aten a bit. The black masked man followed his gaze. She wasn’t aware there were frightening things outside the Warren out in the rest of the Hall. The man waved slightly at them before looking back at Doubt and moving him out of eyesight to continue their discussion.

“Who was that?” Astra whispered.

“Remember Tassa?” Aten asked her.

“Yes,” Astra said. Tassa had looked after them when they’d been little before Savathün had claimed them. She’d been a nice lady and painfully beautiful and kind to them. Sometimes Astra wished Tassa hadn’t let Savathün take them away.

“That’s her mate. He leads the druids. I forget his name,” Aten said softly.

“Oh.”

“Is everyone in?” she heard Johanna’s voice ask from up at the front of the Warren.

What followed Astra couldn’t quite hear and then Oryx and Savathün appeared down the hall. Savathün looked down their way and despite her covered face, the twins shrunk back as her mouth curled open unkindly. Astra yanked Aten fully into her room and slammed the door.

“So… now what?” Aten asked.

“I don’t… know. What’s going on? Why is the Hall in here?” Astra asked back, Aten had no answer for her.

“I don’t want to go back to my own room. I don’t want to leave you alone with Azazel so close.”

Astra’s face softened. “You’re sweet. Thank you for protecting me,” she said. “Well… I have a feeling we’ll be confined here for a while so we might as well make the best of it.” Aten nodded a little and followed Astra to find something to do.

—

From on high Johanna could see the thing. She was too high for it to see her but she could see it easily. It wasn’t the first Emperor she’d ever seen. If anything it was the smallest, the most pathetic. One of its heads didn’t even work right and one of the heads would nip at the middle one sometimes. She just kept watching over it as it lumbered across the Field of Reeds, headed in a not quite straight line through or past the Hall.

She waited to see what it would do and followed it from far back as it romped almost playfully through the marsh to the thicker swamp where it crashed through trees with abandon and plowed through entire mangrove nurseries. It missed the Hall by a good five miles but its huge heads and long necks would be visible from the ground or water level.

She followed it far out past the river onto the great grass plains that made up the low plateau of the Ruins until it had well moved past the Hall. Then she circled back around and flew home. She’d wait a bit longer, just to be safe, and landed on the deck around the great cypress tree.

She took off her helmet and climbed the stairs to Layali’s loft where she found the young woman on her stomach playing with Rahab while Lianna watched over her. Lianna’s antenna perked up when she saw her. Layali looked over when the curtain was moved aside. “Johanna!” she cried and slid off her bed and darted over to Johanna. She was nearly bowled over by Layali’s enthusiasm to embrace her.

“All is well,” Johanna said gently and held her back.

“Did you see it?” Layali asked. “Did you see the Emperor?”

“Yes.”

“Is everyone alright?” she asked, terrified.

“Yes,” Johanna said gently and stroked her soft hair.

“In my vision, it was closer. It took us by surprise. A lot of us were killed.”

“Well that won’t happen,” Johanna said firmly. She’d keep the Hall in the Warren for a few days. Savathün and that wretched thing she called a mate could suck it up. She wouldn’t let any hard come to her clan. She would protect it. “Everyone is safe now, thanks to you, and your gift,” she kissed Layali on the forehead gently. “But you shouldn’t endanger yourself like you did earlier. You should have sent Lianna,” she said.

“I just– I wanted to tell you,” Layali said weakly.

“Don’t be too harsh, Johanna. She’s suffered for it.”

Johanna hadn’t wanted to hear that. She put her arm around Layali’s shoulders and brought her back to the bed. “What happened?”

“She coughed,” Lianna said and Johanna grimaced. She’d seen Layali’s coughing spells. The bucket by the bed told the rest of the story.

“All is well,” was all Johanna said.

“Are you staying here?” Layali asked, looking up at her from where she was sitting on the bed. “I want you to stay. I was scared while you were gone,” she said and grabbed Johanna’s gauntlet covered hand.

Johanna softened. “Yes. I’ll stay for a little while. I need to leave at some point and make sure the rest of the Hall is still safe,” she said.

“But you’ll stay for now?” Layali asked hopefully.

“Yes,” Johanna took off a bit of her armor and sat next to Layali. “For a while, little one.” Layali beamed at her.


End file.
